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Rosemary and the Sweet Sound Revival has received six nominations for the GMA Covenant Music Awards.
Plum Coulee’s Rosemary Siemens said she was not expecting so many nominations that stemmed from the album, Plum Coulee My Home.
“It’s awesome,” she said.
Nominations included: Gospel Song of the Year for Bring Back the Hymns, Folk Album of the Year, Producer of the Year for Plum Coulee’s Dale Penner - now Siemens’ manager, Southern Gospel/country album of the year, Artwork CD/DVD Design and Instrumental Song of the Year for a duet with Buddy Spicher.
It’s the nomination for Bring Back the Hymns that really hits home for Siemens.
“That’s the song that means so much to me,” she said. “My passion is to bring back hymns into churches.”
Siemens said the song reflects on her childhood and upbringing when hymns were very much a part of her church life.
“To get recognition at this level is so awesome,” she said. “I know more people will hear it, more people might think about it, more people might do their part to bring hymns back into churches, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Siemens said it’s great to see recognition for those who’ve done things along the way, such as her manager Dale Penner.
Joel Grenz of Motion Tide Media along with photographer Rejean Brandt are nominated for their work with the album cover.
Siemens said inspiring people with her music is her goal, and nowhere did that become so clear than after a show in Hannibal Missouri, when she received feedback on her song, Have a Little Faith.
“A woman came up to me crying,” Siemens said. “She said that song saved her sister’s life. Her husband had just committed suicide. She said that song saved my life because I knew I had to have faith to keep going.”
“That’s what it’s all about, and it’s so cool that the music can have a mission and make a difference,” she added. “What makes this album so special is that I can tell stories, it can be inspirational, it can hopefully touch people, inspire people, make people smile and make a difference.”
Siemens was nearing the middle of a 24 city tour in the U.S. with Roy Tan, and was gearing up for a busy Christmas season after which another U.S. tour is in the works.
There’s one thing that keeps Siemens motivated when she’s far from home.
“I’ve appreciated all the people at home, how they’ve kept in touch in social media,” she said. “The fact that people are following the journey makes it so much more enjoyable.”